The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-02-24

Instructive Facts from the Report OF
the Board OF Health.
History Of the Outbreak OF pIphtheria
at Aliens Corner.
An Epidemic OF Typhoid Fever Traced
TO Impure Water.
What the Health Board Is Doing for
the State
Especial 70 the Press.1

Especial 70 the Press.l
AUGUSTA, Feb. 23.-The State Board Of
Health has been organized and at work hard
ly two years. The very first year, 1t will be
remembered, the State Of Maine was threaten
ed by an epidemic Of small pox that broke
out in a neighboring province and threaten
ed disastrous consequences for Maine. How
our borders we're guarded and how the
Isolated cases Of the disease that did occur
within our borders were prevented from
spreading through the efforts Of the Board
Of Health are facts yet fresh In the memories
Of the people Of Maine The last year has
been less eventful; but although quieter ii
has nevertheless been a very busy one for the
Board Of Health. There have been during
the last year frequent and serious outbreaks
of diphtheria and typhoid fever; there have
been nuisances in various towns and cities,
questions have arisen relating 10 health at
our summer resorts in short the work Of the
Board of Health for the last year has been
sufficient to keep one very busy man, Secre-
tary Young, employed continually. The
records Of this years work, as shown by the
annual report, are very interesting indeed.
This work has been in line with the pro-
gressive spirit Of the best medical work Of
the .day-the work that seeks to prevent
disease by making study Of the 'shygieno
Of our persons, our dwellings. our streets
in word, our surroundings, whatever or
wherever they may be. whether In city, town.
hamlet OF country"
The bill to establish local boards Of health
is now before the Legislature the work Of
the State Board unassisted for the last year
may give an idea Of what might be done with
the perfect system contemplated in that bill.
During the summer months DR.. Young was
travelling almost continually. The outbreak
OF diphtheria at Bar Harbor at the first Of
the season was a very awkward occurrence,
anc would have resulted very disastrously
TO the business interests Of Maine had not
it been promptly stamped out by the efforts
Of the Board. The garbage question at Bar
Harbor also required the attention Of the
Secretary. But the results Of his investIga-
tions into the outbreaks Of diphtheria and
typhoid fever are the most interesting. At
Aliens Corner, In Deering was one Of the
most severe epidemics of diphtheria. The
history Of that outbreak. Illustrating as IL
does the, contagiousness Of diphtheria, Is
very nbcIc5tlues ICit - WUdt CccTttdIy
Young says Of it:
DIPHTHERIA AT ALIENS CORNER, DEER
ING.
Upon petition from the inhabitants Of AL
lens Corner, Deering, went to that place
June 21st to investigate in regard to
the cause OF an outbreak Of diphtheria there.
Learned that there had been but few cases
of diphtheria In the town Of Deering for
years, and at Aliens Corner no cases for
several years. Careful inquiry could elicit no
information ofany antecedent cases 10 which
the present outbreak could be referred as
the source Of its contagion except one. The
history Of this and Of the subsequent cases Is
rs follows
In the fall Of 1885, Mrs. A. went to Bostc-
Mass, on a visit and took her child
her While in Boston her child
with eiphtheria and died. The
turned to Aliens Corner soon 4
death Of her child, bringing home the
Of the little one. After her return q,
herself had a light form Of diphthe
have been informed by the physician who
attended her.
Soon after the return Of Mrs. A. she wa.
visited by Mrs. b. accompanied by her eldest
daughter Jennie During this visit Mrs A.
gave the clothes Of the recently deceased
child to Mrs. Il. for her children. In a few
days diphtheria appeared In the u. family.
All, six or seven in number, were sick but
all recovered. In four Of five days after the
she worked, and went home
In the q. family only one person, a boy,
had the disease. The next family with this
disease was that OF Mr.. ID. He lived near
the b. family and in each house there was a
little boy of seven years Of age. These two
littls fellows ''chummed" together and soon
after the recovery OF the b. boy he was over
| playing with the d; boy; The latter was the
| first to be attacked in this fourth house. All
| the members Of this family, six or seven in
number were sick; the father and the baby
died. There were also In this family two
bOarders, Mr.. 4. and Mr.. r., both young
men. Both had the disease and after Sc
we're illness both recovered.
During the sickness OF Mr.. II. he was vis-
tied by Miss g. She lived with her father
alone and during her attack Of diphtheria,
which soon followed, Mrs. H., a neighbor,
was out and in helping her Mrs. III. had
rather mild form Of the disease and Miss /.
who was teaching and boarding with her had
a severe form Of the disease.
Again from the ID. family we find the dis
ease carried TO the j. family. Two weeks
| after their sickness the children Of the ID.
| family were over to play with the j. chill
| dren. A few days after this the sickness Of
| the j. children began. In this family there
| were three children all OF whom were sick,
/ and with them the mother. All recovered.
i During the sickness OF the j. family Miss
/ n. a teacher. visited them and soon after be-
i gan a term of school at M0rrilPs Corner, but
| was Obliged TO leave Il in few days and
/ went to She J.s where she was sick with the
| rest of them with diphtheria.
1 The cases occurred between September
| 1885, and the early part Of the following Jan
| uary There was then a lull until spring.
During the sickness Of the j. family In the
winter q niece OF Mrs. J.,s, who made Ii her
home with them part of the time was away.
She returned in April and soon after the
'.spring cleaning" had an attack Of what the
neighbOrs supposed to have been diphtheria.
Diphtheria appeared in the L. family In
April. The three children had the disease
| and all died. The first one sick was attacked
| on the 23rd Of May. The other two were
| sick later and probably received the c0nta-
| gion at home The one which was first at
| tackled had attended school until the sick
| ness. The j. children and others that had
been sick with diphtheria were also attend
| ing.
child Mrs NJ and Mrs. N, aided the family
In LAYING it out. Mrs. NJ, who was fifty
three years Of age, was attacked In a few
DAYS and died In three more. Mrs. N. had
light attack soon after helping the l.. family
At the time Of my visit there was a case
in the family OF Mr. o., which was unable
70 connect with the other cases by the link
| of cOntagion. A few other mild cases oc-
| CURED whose history l could not get. Max
| ing a schematic arrangement OF these cases
/ and families we have the following to show
| how the contagion Travelled, the lines repre-
senting the course from family to family.
Mrs. A..............